CHINESE SHIP BLINDS PH NAVY WITH MILITARY-GRADE LASER: COAST GUARD

MANILA -- A Chinese Coast Guard vessel directed a military-grade laser light at the Philippine Coast Guard vessel supporting a rotation and resupply of the Philippine Navy, the PCG said Monday.

The PCG noted that on February 6, the Chinese vessel with bow number 5205 was seen approximately 4 nautical miles away from the Philippines' BRP Malapascua, which was going to the Ayungin Shoal.

The Chinese ship shone a green laser light twice toward the BRP Malapascua, causing temporary blindness to its crew.

"The Chinese vessel also made dangerous maneuvers by approaching about 150 yards from the vessel's starboard side," the PCG noted.

The BRP Malapascua then altered its course and headed instead for Lawak Island to continue supporting BRP Teresa Magbanua, which was bringing personnel and supplies for the BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippine Marine Corps outpost in the Ayungin Shoal.

"The deliberate blocking of the Philippine government ships to deliver food and supplies to our military personnel on board the BRP Sierra Madre is a blatant disregard for, and a clear violation of, Philippine sovereign rights in this part of the West Philippine Sea," the PCG noted.

"The CCG 5205 removed the cover of her 70 mm naval armament when BRP Teresa Magbanua came close to Ayungin Shoal at a distance of 2.5NM."

"The said CCG ship, together with the two Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) and CCG 5102, formed a 13NM-radius blockade with the grounded (Philippine Navy) vessel as its reference to prevent Philippine government ships from reaching the AFP troops," it added.

The PCG said they remain committed to protect Philippine sovereignty and rights in the West Philippine Sea.

“The PCG will continue to exercise due diligence in protecting the country's territorial integrity against foreign aggression," said PCG Commandant Artemio Abu.

The PCG also said the AFP can always rely on them to support their resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal.

MARCOS SAYS JAPAN TRIP GAINS PH $13-B IN CONTRIBUTIONS, PLEDGES; 24K NEW JOBS SEEN

MANILA — Around 24,000 new jobs will be generated in the Philippines by contributions and pledged investments from Japanese firms during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 5-day working visit to Japan, the president said upon his return to Manila.

He said the contributions and pledges totaling over $ 13 billion or more than P700 billion would “further solidify the foundations of our economic environment”.

The president arrived Sunday night with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, House speaker Martin Romualdez, former president and senior deputy speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and other members of the Philippine delegation.

In his arrival speech, Marcos Jr. recounted his meetings with Japanese business leaders and potential investors where he briefed them on the business climate in the Philippines.

Representatives of the Philippine private sector also joined the meetings.

The president witnessed the signing of 35 key investment deals between the 2 countries in Tokyo.

He also highlighted his talks with executives of Japanese shipping companies and associations, which he said was important due to the Japanese maritime industry’s employment of 31,763 Filipino seafarers or 70 percent of Japanese ship crews.

He added Japanese shipping companies have invested and partnered with Philippine stakeholders for maritime education and welfare programs.

TAIWAN CONFLICT TO DRAG PH IN

It’s “very hard” to imagine that the Philippines would not be pulled into a possible conflict between China and Taiwan, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told a Japanese business magazine as he came home Sunday from Tokyo following a five-day official visit.

“When we look at the situation in the area, especially the tensions in the Taiwan Strait, we can see that just by our geographical location, should there, in fact, be conflict in that area … it’s very hard to imagine a scenario where the Philippines will not somehow getinvolved,” Mr. Marcos told Nikkei Asia in an exclusive interview, which was published on its website.

“We will be brought into the conflict because of whoever is… whichever sides are at work,” the President added.

Despite warmer ties with China, especially under his predecessor President Rodrigo Duterte, Mr. Marcos met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida with security and defense as key topics.

Defense officials from both countries have also said they were closer to signing a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA)-type pact that the Philippines currently has with the United States, which wants to preserve the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, areas of which are wholly claimed by China.

Mr. Marcos on Friday also said the Philippines would review a “tripartite agreement” with its two close allies, the US and Japan.

The President told Nikkei Asia that his home province of Ilocos Norte is just a 40-minute flight away from the southern Taiwan city of Kaohsiung.

“We feel that we’re very much on the front line,” he said, adding thatdifferences between the Chinese and Taiwanese should be solved diplomatically rather than militarily.

“I sincerely believe that nobody wants to go to war… But we havecontinued to advise and to counsel all the parties involved to show restraint,” Mr. Marcos said.

SC ASKED TO VOID MARCOS CERTIFICATION OF MAHARLIKA BILL AS URGENT, HOUSE PASSAGE

MANILA, Philippines — Members of the Makabayan bloc on Monday asked the Supreme Court to void President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s certification of the House bill creating the Maharlika Investment Fund as urgent and its subsequent passage in the lower chamber of Congress.

In their 22-page petition, the group of lawmakers said Marcos’ certification was unconstitutional as the Charter only allows measures that address a public emergency or calamity to be certified as urgent.

Article VI, Section 26(2) of the 1987 Constitution provides that bills cannot pass either the House or the Senate "unless it has passed three readings on separate days, and printed copies thereof in its final form have been distributed to its Members three days before its passage."

The same provision, however, laid down an exception: "When the President certifies to the necessity of its immediate enactment to meet a public calamity or emergency."

No public calamity, emergency

The Makabayan lawmakers, along with Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares and former Rep. Carlos Zarate (Bayan Muna party-list), argued that Marcos committed a grave abuse of discretion when he certified the House bill as urgent when there is no public calamity or emergency.

The petitioners argued that since Marcos only certified the Maharlika fund House bill as urgent and did not issue a similar certification for a measure in the Senate, "the President is merely short-circuiting the legislative process in the other House."

At the time that Marcos certified the bill as urgent, there was still no bill seeking to establish the Maharlika fund in the Senate.

"This particularly belies the presidential claim that there is a need for the ’immediate enactment’ of the Maharlika bill. This is a fatal admission that there is no public emergency or calamity in the nature that triggers the activation of the exception," they said.

They also cited the lack of the words "public emergency" or "calamity" in Marcos’ certification and the absence of discussions on these during the House deliberations on the Maharlika fund bill.

MARCOS JR. SAYS CHARTER CHANGE IS NOT HIS PRIORITY

TOKYO - President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said Sunday that for now, he is not keen on the idea of amending the constitution to accommodate the investment pledges and business deals that were secured during his 5-day official working visit to Japan.

In a media interview aboard the plane en route to the Philippines, Marcos said charter change is not necessary to actualize the investments pledges and agreements.

"It is not a priority for me, because maraming ibang kailangan gawin eh. There are so many other things that we need to do first, that we can still do, we can achieve, kung makuha natin ang gusto natin but within the present constitutional, the way the constitution is written," he told reporters.

Thirty-four letters of intent were signed by different companies from Japan and the Philippines, and a government-to-government deal was also inked during the president's visit.

Marcos acknowledged there were proposals to the amend the economic provisions in the Constitution to help businesses thrive in the country and remove roadblocks for foreign investments.

"Gusto nga natin na magkaroon ng investment. Minsan, sagabal iyon. Alam niyo naman ang mga isyu diyan - iyong ownership ng corporation, ownership ng lupa, mga ganoon. But for me, lahat itong mga pinag-usapan, kaya natin gawin na hindi pinapalitan ang Saligang Batas," he said.

RCEP CRUCIAL FOR PHILIPPINE ACCESS TO GLOBAL MARKETS: MARCOS

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Sunday the ratification of the Philippines' participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is necessary for access to global markets.

This was after some lawmakers expressed apprehensions by saying that the government should make sure first that the country is resilient enough to handle internal and external shocks.

The Senate is still deliberating whether to ratify the RCEP agreement.

"Right now, kung wala tayo sa RCEP, hindi natin maa-access ang kanilang mga market, lalo na iyon supply chain na available na binibigay ngayon sa Asya," the President stressed in an interview on board a chartered plane to the Philippines after his 5-day working visit to Japan.

HOUSE EXTENDS $100K AID TO TURKEY

The House of Representatives said it would extend $100,000 in financial assistance as humanitarian aid to thousands of earthquake victims in Turkey, one of the first countries to come to the aid of the Philippines when super typhoon “Yolanda” flattened Leyte and many parts of Eastern Samar in 2013.

The funds will come from Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez’s Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Initiative launched during his 59th birthday celebration on Nov. 14 last year.

Romualdez is set to turn over the $100,000 assistance to Turkey’s Ambassador to the Philippines Niyazi Evren Akyol and his wife Inddri Puspitarasi today (Monday) at his office at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City.

The Speaker said he was sincerely grateful to Turkey for helping Leyte and many parts of Eastern Samar in November 2013 when “Yolanda” flattened the region.

The typhoon’s death toll was placed at over 6,000, with many more missing, and thousands of families were dislocated.

“The assistance extended by Turkey, the United States, and our allies and friends abroad helped ease the pain and suffering of our people,” Romualdez said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, said more than 50Filipino families were evacuated to a shelter in the Turkish capital of Ankara, following the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake. DFA Spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said 53 Filipinos, including their husbands and children, are sheltering in a dormitory in the Turkish capital, while 25 Filipinos have already received relief goods as of Feb. 11.

The Philippine Embassy in Ankara said “the number of Filipino families sheltered in Ankara” while kind-hearted Filipinos continue to share their own resources and time to augment the embassy efforts amid the disaster.

It also reiterated the embassy will continue to accommodate evacuees.

THE REST

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MARCOS HAILS OFWS FOR WORK ETHICS

Tokyo—President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday praised Filipino workers in Japan for their work ethic, saying he hardly needed to convince potential investors that they were skillful, hardworking, and honest.

“Everyone we talk with says you don’t need to convince us on how skillful Filipinos are because we have employees, we have someone who we knew, we have friends and we know that Filipinos are kind, hardworking… honest—and also English-speaking,” the President said at a meeting with the Filipino community in Japan at the Belle Salle Tokyo Nihonbashi.

“All who we can talk with, they say that ‘you don’t need to convince us on how skillful the Filipinos are because we have employees, we have someone who we knew, we have friends, and we know that Filipinos are kind, hardworking, they’re honest, and also English speaking.” the President said.

“What we are discussing is what we need to do for our partners with who we’re planning new things.” Mr. Marcos added.

The President told the attendees about the importance of fostering partnerships and alliances amid global turbulence and the threat of climate change.

“All of these are needed to be discussed and need further study so that our plans would be accurate and also for new businesses,” Mr. Marcos pointed out.

QUEZON CITY LAUNCHES PHILIPPINES FIRST MARKET ONE-STOP-SHOP

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government has launched the country’s first Market One-Stop-Shop (MOSS) system for market owners, stall owners and vendors in the city’s public and private markets.

A project of the city government’s Market Development and Administration Department (MDAD), the MOSS system will initially cover the digital and simplified process of market registration and permit application for market owners, vendors and stall owners in eight city-owned public markets.

The MDAD said the pilot digital registration and permit application will be held this month at Murphy Market.

The MDAD said the MOSS will also soon be rolled out in private markets, hawker centers and talipapa or sidewalk markets.

MDAD officer-in-charge Ma. Margarita Santos said the city aims to register a total of 12,000 stall holders within the eight city-owned public markets, 32 private markets, 124 approved temporary vending sites for hawkers and 46 talipapas.

Identification cards will be issued to registered market vendors and hawkers.

Mayor Joy Belmonte, who led the recent launching ceremony for the project, said that through the MOSS system, existing market vendors and aspiring stall holders can easily view what market stalls are still available and the documentary requirements needed.

They can then pay the corresponding fees, “avoiding the long lines and inconvenient paperwork required in the old manual process,” she said.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

BRIT AWARDS: HARRY STYLES TRIUMPHS WITH MOST WINS

LONDON— Harry Styles was the big winner at the BRIT awards, Britain’s pop music honors, on Saturday, winning all four categories he had been nominated in, a week after his triumph at the Grammys.

Styles took home the coveted album of the year for “Harry’s House”, song of the year for his synth pop hit “As It Was”, best pop/R&B act and artist of the year, one of two gender-neutral categories introduced last year after BRIT awards organizers got rid of female and male distinctions.

The contenders for that prize were all men, which had irked many in the industry and on social media.

“I’m really, really grateful for this and I’m very aware of my privilege up here tonight,” Styles said in his acceptance speech, dedicating the artist of the year award to a list of female singers.

Styles, who rose to fame on talent show “The X Factor” as a member of boy band One Direction, last week won two Grammy awards, including album of the year.

“This night has been really special to me … Thank you so much for the welcome home,” Styles said on Saturday after his final win, for best album.

“I’m so, so proud to be a British artist out there in the world. I’m so proud to be here tonight celebrating British artists and British music.”

A statement on the BRIT Awards’ website said the gender-neutral categories had been introduced so artists were judged “solely on the quality and popularity of their work, rather than on who they are, or how they choose to identify.”

But it added that organizers “acknowledge and share in the disappointment” of no women making the list. “A key factor is that, unfortunately, there were relatively few commercially successful releases by women in 2022 compared to those by men.”

“Of the 71 eligible artists on the longlist, only 12 (17%) are women. We recognize this points to wider issues around the representation of women in music that must also be addressed.”

Singer Rina Sawayama welcomed the change to gender-neutral categories but said the list of nominees should be longer.

“If you have more nominees then you’re going to see a cross section of what has happened throughout the year and who has made an impact,” she told Reuters on the red carpet.

Indie rockers Wet Leg won group of the year and best new artist. Music star Beyonce was named international artist of the year and her hit “Break My Soul” won international song of the year.

SPORTS

RAIN OR SHINE DEF. BLACKWATER, 122-117

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (1-4) defeated Blackwater Bossing (1-5), 122-117 to grab their first win in the 2023 PBA Governors' Cup on Sunday, February 12 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Rain or Shine new import Greg Smith II led the ePainters with 38 points (9/17fg, 5/8 3pts, 15/25ft) along with six rebounds, five assists and one steal in 35 minutes of play. Leonard Santillan had a solid game of 16 points (7/11fg) to go with seven rebounds and one assist. Shaun Ildefonso, Nick Demusis and Beau Belga added 12 points apiece.

The Scores:

RAIN OR SHINE 122 - Smith 38, Santillan 16, Ildefonso 12, Demusis 12, Belga 12, Nambatac 9, Asistio 7, Clarito 5, Norwood 4, Ponferada 4, Caracut 3, Yap 0, Torres 0.

BLACKWATER 117 – Williams 40, Sena 15, Hill 14, McCarthy 10, Casio 8, Ular 7, Ilagan 6, Amer 5, Ayonayon 4, Banal 3, Suerte 3, Taha 2, Torralba 0.

Quarters: 34-31, 66-67, 87-95, 122-117

MAGNOLIA DEF. GINEBRA, 118-88

Magnolia Timplados Hotshots (2-3) defeated Barangay Ginebra (3-1), 118-88 to grab their second win in the 2023 PBA Governors' Cup on Sunday, February 12 in front of 11,212 crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Antonio Hester led the Hotshots with an assist shy of a triple-double of 28 points (13/19fg, 1/3 3pts, 1/2ft) along with 18 rebounds, nine assists and two steals. Mark Barroca with a solid game of 21 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench while Calvin Abueva had another all-around game of 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and one steal. Paul Lee scored 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc to go with three rebounds and three assists.

The Scores:

MAGNOLIA 118 - Hester 28, Barroca 21, Abueva 18, Lee 18, Dela Rosa 9, Wong 6, Jalalon 5, Dionisio 5, Escoto 5, Ahanmisi 3, Corpuz 0, Mendoza 0.

GINEBRA 88 – Brownlee 22, Thompson 19, Standhardinger 17, Malonzo 12, Gray 8, Pinto 8, Mariano 2, Tenorio 0, Pringle 0, Pessumal 0, R Aguilar 0.

Quarters: 23-18, 59-37, 87-71, 118-88

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. - H.L. Mencken